


That Inquisitor, the Iron Bull's/The Iron Bull, that Inquisitor's

by PinkAfroPuffs



Series: The Scorching Inquisitor (Side B) [4]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, it's the tooth yall, sex mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-10 03:22:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21455164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkAfroPuffs/pseuds/PinkAfroPuffs
Summary: With the battle with Corypheus looming closer, the Inquisitor decides it's about time to make his intentions with the Iron Bull clear. Between the dragon hunting, undead battles, and an uncomfortable amount of demons, Mamoru Lavellan has decided that there's only one person he'd want in his corner, in a fight or otherwise....hopefully, Bull would feel the same.
Relationships: Iron Bull/Male Lavellan
Series: The Scorching Inquisitor (Side B) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1486985
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	That Inquisitor, the Iron Bull's/The Iron Bull, that Inquisitor's

**Author's Note:**

> tooth time............

If anything was a welcome distraction from his usual stupidity, it was bringing down the biggest, most magnificent beast he’d ever seen. Though it was the third dragon they’d taken on as a group, nothing made him feel more powerful than the sting of magic against his skin, the smell of burning dragon scales, the  _ hum _ of the universe as he and his comrades fought its raw power. 

“Lady Vivienne!” He called out. “Do you need my healing grenade?”

“I’d appreciate it, dear!” She swung her spirit blade at the dragon’s wings, up close and personal like Bull, and Sera loaded her exploding arrow into its maw. 

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the healing mist grenade in their direction and then yelled, “Stand clear!” 

Flames exploded around the dragon’s legs, and it dropped to the ground, fighting for a few minutes more before it finally stopped moving. Blood trickled down his cheek from where the dragon’s claw nicked him, and he hooted aloud once he realized the battle was done. He could hear Bull laughing that hearty laugh in the background, filled to the brim with excitement and enthusiasm- but also relief. Exhausted, Mamoru threw himself onto the ground and laid out there, dirt and blood in his hair, and then he sighed. 

“Everybody alright? We’ll take a bones in a little bit, but good job everyone!” He laughed, then sat up, backside aching. “Hoo...I’m pumped now! I could fight a bear with my bare hands!”

Another laugh from Bull, blood and sweat trickling down his face and arms as he raised his weapon. “That’s the spirit! I could take on the world!” 

“Don’t get too ahead of yourselves, you two,” Vivienne cut in, but she smiled. “Maybe we should stop for lunch first.”

The other three gave a rousing “YEAAAAA!!!” in reply, Sera pumping her arms in the air before she fell back on the ground. “I’m friggin’ starving!”

He watched the others go ahead of him back towards camp, watching carefully to make sure he was alone. Then, carefully and calmly, he took out one of the dragon’s teeth with his knife and slipped it into his pack.

_ “There’s an old tradition about a dragon’s tooth, where you split it apart and give it to the person you’re committed to. Then, no matter how far apart life takes them, they’re always together.” _

The idea made him nervous and excited all at once. He wanted to do this, more than anything. For Bull. For him. 

After a deep breath, he resolved to talk to the Requisition officer back home about it, though not before swiping another tooth from the dragon’s mouth, just in case.

* * *

“Maybe you should’ve gone a little easier on me,” Bull was joking from the Inquisitor’s mattress, and Mamoru, grinning, only pulled his own boots on.

“I’ll never go easy on you,” he countered, “long as you don’t go easy on me.” His throat hurt a little bit, but he always thought it was worth it. It was one of his special skills, after all. 

Mamoru’s hand slipped to his pack, that he hesitated to re-equip to his person, pausing as he wondered if this was really the time to do this. The time to give him the gift he’d lost sleep over. “Bull-”

“Inquisitor! Can I have your sign-” The door, which was supposed to be locked, flew open to reveal Josephine, Cullen, and Leliana. Given that Bull was indecent on the bed (as he often was directly after one of these events), there were four gasps of surprise (though one might think some of those gasps were  _ delighted _ ). 

“....well.” Mamoru blinked at them all, suddenly stuck between abject horror and outright embarrassment. “You...should knock.”

“R-right-” Josephine was stuttering, backing away. Cullen’s eyes were still on Bull’s lower half, glancing away only when the Seeker did. Leliana, who apparently didn’t know shame, actually sort of smiled. “We’ll leave you to your...whatever this is-”

“We’re in a relationship,” Mamoru found himself saying, and for some reason his cheeks did not burn. “I don’t see what the big problem is. It’s been several months.”

“Right, sorry, goodbye-” The door shut with such a  _ slam _ that Mamoru flinched, surprised it didn’t come off the hinges. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed amusement on Bull’s lips, maybe a hint of pleasure at being openly claimed.

He took a deep breath. “....right. I...I wanted to…” Mamoru’s mouth closed. Then opened. Then closed. He imagined he looked much like a fish. 

Seeing that actions were always better than words, he carefully pulled a dragon tooth necklace out of his pack- one in a set of two- and presented it to him. There were no words for it; just space, lingering embarrassment, numbness to judgement, and a sudden surge of nervousness as Bull’s eyebrows went up. 

“Uhm, you...said. Something about...a dragon’s tooth,” Mamoru began, closing his eyes. “And I may be jumping the gun here, but I think now’s as good a time as any, given that final battle’s around the corner.” He traced the smooth ivory with his thumb, careful not to mishandle it, eyes flickering from the tooth up to Bull. 

Genuine  _ shock _ that gave way to the delighted surprise sparkled across the Iron Bull’s features; his voice, suddenly soft, low,  _ touched _ only uttered one word: “Kadan.” It sounded like releasing a breath he’d been holding for a long time, though Mamoru couldn’t fathom why.

Mamoru didn’t know what that meant, but the emphasis on it, the  _ newness _ of this term, it made his pointed ears grow warm. “K...kadan?”

“It means,” Bull sort of smiled and shook his head, “‘my heart’.”

The warmth spread from his ears past his cheeks and down his neck. Still, he could not form words. Not when his heart was fluttering like that, beating as fast as a hummingbird’s wings. 

His heart.  _ His heart _ -

He pressed his hands to his cheeks. “I-I wanted to...do-” Oof, there it was again, the stutter. Why was it only with the Iron Bull he felt this way?

“Come here,” he breathed, and, obliging, Mamoru found himself on top of Bull again. Neither of them left the Inquisitor’s quarters for several hours after that.

* * *

“What does ‘ _ mir arlathan _ ’ mean, Inquisitor?”

Mamoru didn’t say anything at first, contemplating how to translate it into the common tongue; before he can actually dignify it with an answer, Cole continued, “Does it mean the same thing as ‘ _ kadan _ ’? The Iron Bull thinks it when he looks at you, soft but all sharp edges, strong but bright. Is it the same?” 

“...yes. And no.” He closed his eyes. “But it’s certainly just as special.”

Bull seemed pleased at that answer. It was clear he didn’t need much clarity about it, just that it was a term of endearment to return his own, an  _ important _ endearment awarded only to him. Though other people were aware of how serious they were now, it didn’t fluster him either-as far as anyone could tell, of course. 

Distinctly, Mamoru touched his own necklace and smiled. There were no more questions about it. 


End file.
